The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1887-07-07
THURSDAY. July Z. 1887
THE CONSTITUTION SIGNED.

Between six and seven O'Clock last
evening the welcome news went forth
over the city that the King had sign,d
the new Constitution. Great care ano
much lab had been expended by
many abe men in formulating the all
important document. The members
of the Judiciary now in the city were
invited to supervise the final revision
of the instrument, and with patriotic
devotion they bent their minds to the
work in preference to other pressing
duties. These lines are written with
out knowledge Of the contents Of the
new Constitution, but the fact that the
royal signature has been affixed to it is
cause for congratulation apart from the
merits of its provisions. One brief
week previous to the hour when the
old Constitution is discarded by the
King for the new one, the whole com
munity was in ferment of excitement
over long period of misgovernment;
the man who headed the Ministry dur
ing that period and his comparatively
new colleagues had just been dismissed
by the King under the pressure Of the
storm Of public indignation every mo
ment threatening TO burst over the
throne and its council; nervous prepa-
rations were making at the Palace
for resistance to shock the
strength OF which could not
accurately be measured, nor the
scope of the movement precipitat-
ing the impact be gagged. The follow
ing day, this very day a week, the
clouds lowered in the political horizon
so that even struggle Of physical force
seemed imminent, if not inevitable, TO
settle long standing grievances of the
people against the rulers Of this little
Kingdom Whether through true or
false alarm matter that seems unde-
cided-the movers in the agitation
understood that an interference with
the peoples right of assembly and free
speech was contemplated by the auth.
critics. Nevertheless without flinching
they determined to assemble and to
speak their minds Happily, besides
their own preparations for the vindica-
ton Of their rights, theyhada at command
a gallant corps OF volunteer militia, the
Honolulu Rifles, nearly every member
Of which was in sympathy with the
cause of good government. The meet
ing was held under guard of two hun
dred rifles and bayonets, with ammuni
ton in goodly supply. Although the
event proved it but guard Of honor
it was ready for more serious work, and
it may never be known whether the
prompt appearance Of the brave lads al
the front is not to be thanked for the
popular freedom OF that afternoon
rather than the msgnanimity and lib
eral spirit of the authorities. 1t il
needless in this place to recapitulatt
the popular requests uttered at tina
notable gathering in unmistakable
terms and tones. One ofthem was Tor Z
new Ministry, to be pledged 10 consti
tutional reform. A prompt and cordia
reply was received from the King
granting all the requests excepting one
the grounds of which were disputed
With equal promptnessa new Ministry
the selection OF the peoples deputation
was formed, and now, at the expiration
OF six days from the adjournment 0
that mass meeting, new Constitution
is given the Hawaiian Kingdom
Those days have been days of sever
tension to the public mind, and it i
most honorable to The reputation G
this cosmopolitan city that no politica
brawl has in that trying period dis
turbed its streets. AS stated above
this is written while we await the peru
sal of the new Constitution, and it
only appropriate herein to place o
record our highest praise of the dill